The Haunting of Tanith Low
by thedastardlysonya42
Summary: When Tanith Low and Valkyrie Cain head off to London to round up the once again escaped Vaurien Scapegrace, they are shocked to learn that he may not be a failed killer after all.  And all they have to go on are his insane claims and a moody ghost.
1. Chapter 1

**Ok- Here's another one for you guys… if there are any of you out there. I'm still, sadly, low on reviews. I'm begging you here! I'll post the next chapter when I get some reviews. Heck, I'll continue for one reviewer! So tell me if you guys like it, or hate it, or whatever else you think! Also, the title of this one might change! Thanks!**

**-Sonya**

* * *

><p>Chapter One<p>

_The trouble with common criminals,_ Tanith Low thought glumly, _is that they have absolutely no imagination_.

The young woman swung her blade, still in its scabbard, halfheartedly at said common criminal, and he squealed and toppled over backwards.

"Honestly, Scapegrace, how badly do you want to lengthen your sentence?" Valkyrie Cain snorted, coming around the corner and into the alley, hands in her pockets.

"G-get this crazy sword-lady away from me!" Scapegrace sobbed.

Valkyrie rolled her eyes. "Did you threaten him Tanith?"

Tanith pursed her lips in thought. "Well… maybe a little," she admitted, a smirk spreading across her lips.

"Cause him bodily harm?"

"Goodness no."

Valkyrie frowned. "Tanith, are you feeling quite alright today?"

She laughed. "The reason being I doubt the Irish or English Sanctuaries would be very happy with me. But Scapegrace," she said, turning back to the man, who whimpered back at her from where he was trying to crawl away down the alley.

"It's not too late."

Scapegrace whimpered again, curling up into a submissive ball, but not with out reminding them:

"I am the killer supreme. Nothing you do can stop me forever!"

Valkyrie and Tanith exchanged a glance.

"Can I please knock him out now?" Valkyrie asked her.

"You explain it to the Elders then."

Valkyrie sighed. "Fine," she conceded. "We'll take him back to Ireland though."

Tanith nodded. "Been a while since I've graced that country's soil."

"We haven't seen you in forever. Skulduggery will be happy. You should've come."

Tanith laughed. "This little fella was already here, bless his idiotic little heart. What good would it do if I were in Ireland, and he was in London?"

Valkyrie laughed. "But think of all the trouble Skulduggery is getting into without me there to save his butt."

Tanith nodded. "There is that. But he won't have that much time, what with the chasing after killers and all. He's lucky," she added wistfully.

"Hey!" Scapegrace said, insulted. "_I'm_ a killer!"

"No you're _not_," Tanith and Valkyrie sighed at the same time, and then giggled.

"Yes I am!" Scapegrace insisted. "I turn murder"-

"Yes, yes, we know," Valkyrie cut him off.

There was a beat of silence.

"Then how do I know about Phoenix Lands?" the Killer Supreme said.

Tanith spun to face him. "The girl. The one who went missing. What do you know?" she demanded, taking three long strides up to him and drawing her blade for real this time.

"I know that she died in the Tower of London, a screaming, painful, bloody death."

Tanith and Valkyrie exchanged a glance.

Maybe Vaurien Scapegrace wasn't _quite_ as stupid as they had once thought.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, it's me again! Thanks so much to Onyx Sprita and NightCoree.x for the first reviews. And here is the next chapter… pronto!**

Chapter Two

Tanith and Valkyrie looked at each other, to Scapegrace, and back to each other.

Then they burst out laughing.

"Sc-scapegrace killed somebody, oh whoo-hoo!" Tanith cackled, doubling over and shoving her sword back in its place in her scabbard.

"As if!" Valkyrie chimed in.

Scapegrace glared at them, picking himself up off the ground. "Don't _laugh_ at the Killer Supreme. I made messy art when I killed Phoenix Lands, and I'll have to do the same to you!"

His muscles tensed, about to lunge, and Tanith drew her sword again in one swift movement, Valkyrie just holding out a hand to air blast him back.

"Not a wise move, Vaurien," Tanith advised as the pathetic little man sunk back down to his knees looking very put out indeed.

"I _did_ do it!" he protested as Valkyrie came around behind him to put the handcuffs on.

"News flash," Tanith said sarcastically. "Even if you did do it, criminals don't _admit_ to their crimes while being arrested."

"I can tell you everything about her murder!" Scapegrace yowled. "I stabbed her and stabber her over and"-

Valkyrie wizened up and clapped a hand over his mouth.

"Thank you," Tanith said gratefully, hauling the prisoner up by the forearm. "I don't think he'd ever stop."

"Trust me- he won't," Valkyrie said, not all that jokingly.

The pair led Scapegrace back to their car around the corner and shoved him into the back seat.

"It's too bad, really, that we have to take a prisoner," Tanith said wistfully. "I can't even remember the last time I drove a car."

Valkyrie frowned. "Maybe I should"-

LURCH.

The thankfully-not-purple-or-yellow Ford Fiesta shot forward.

Scapegrace screamed, and fell off the backseat.

Valkyrie looked back at him while Tanith tried to get the windshield wipers to turn off.

"You're probably the safest one right now, Scapegrace," she laughed, seeing as he was trapped in the foot space between the front and back seats.

"Ah, there we are!" Tanith said happily as the wipers stopped whirring. "Now I just have to"-

SMASH.

"Dammit!"

The car had shot back and jumped the curb.

"Ok, ok. This is fine. Now, Forward," Tanith said to herself, gripping the wheel, and pressing her foot ever so slightly to the gas.

The car finally eased out into traffic, and all the passengers breathed a sigh of relief.

"Just needed some getting used to," Tanith said, pleased that her efforts had paid off with minimal damage.

She glanced up to her rearview mirror to check on her prisoner.

"You still back there Vaurien?" she asked.

Scapegrace mewed his reply.

"Indeed you are. Now, Val, I think that we should drop him at one of the holding facilities here until we can sort out this Phoenix Lands business."

"I killed Phoenix Lands. It was me, I did i- eep!" Scapegrace started, but cut off when Tanith took a corner on two wheels, banging his head into the side of the car.

"Oops," Tanith said, grinning.

Valkyrie nodded. "I think that sounds like a good plan. But you know… neither of us are actual detectives," she pointed out.

"My thoughts exactly," Tanith agreed.

Valkyrie grinned. "I'll call Skulduggery."

Tanith smiled back. "I'll call Ghastly."


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm just full of ideas for this one! I hope you guys still like it.**

**Disclaimer: I realize if forgot to do this at chapter one but…**

**Seriously, if I owned Skulduggery Pleasant, why would I be writing this? Or be on this website, as a matter of fact?**

**PLEASE review! They make my day!**

Chapter 3

"Trouble already, Valkyrie?" Skulduggery Pleasant teased, laughing, as he listened to his friend's startling discovery in London over the phone.

"No, I guess your right, murder really isn't funny," he conceded as Valkyrie chewed him out.

What Valkyrie said next made Skulduggery want to laugh again, but this time he really didn't dare.

"You need backup. You, Valkyrie Cain, admit that you need help."

There was a beat of silence, and then more squawking from the other end of the line.

"It _does_ still count if it was Tanith's idea, funny enough. And yes, I know you hate me."

Ghastly Bespoke walked into the room just as Skulduggery was hanging up.

"You being called to London too?" he asked, grinning.

"I don't see why they can't just come to us," Skulduggery grumbled.

Ghastly laughed. "And bring the Tower of London with them to investigate? Highly unlikely."

"But not impossible," Skulduggery pointed out.

"But not impossible," Ghastly agreed.

"Start talking, Scapegrace," Tanith warned her prisoner, sitting down across from him in the London Sanctuary's interrogation room.

"I told you! I killed her, and I made messy art," Scapegrace declared proudly.

"Yes, you've established that fact. Pardon me if I have a hard time believing it."

The door opened and Valkyrie swaggered into the room. "Here's your release, Tanith. All the Elders signed off on it. Do your worst."

Tanith took the paper from Valkyrie, looked down at it, and smiled.

Scapegrace was panicking. "What? What is it? What did they sign off on? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO ME?"

Still grinning, Tanith took the pen Valkyrie held out to her, and scrawled her signature at the bottom of the page.

The paper was not actually signed by anyone, much less the elders. Instead, it bore one line of Valkyrie's handwriting:

The Terrifying Brainsucker of London

And underneath her signature, Tanith had scribbled:

Val, you're a genius.

"Well Vaurien, if you're not going to tell us what we need to know willingly…" Tanith mused, sliding her arms out of her coat.

Scapegrace was looking frantically around the room for torture tools or a way to escape.

"You seem to have forgotten her specialty," Valkyrie grinned, leaning back against the one-way glass, ready for a show as Tanith crossed the room to stand behind Scapegrace.

Unfortunately for him, he had forgotten all about her and was sweating out the wait until Valkyrie made her move.

Trying desperately not to laugh, Tanith bent down next to his ear and whispered, "It's been a while since I sucked someone's brains out."

Scapegrace screamed, and Tanith allowed herself to laugh, making it sound as villainy as possible.

She leaned in towards his ear…

"FINE, FINE, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?" Scapegrace squealed, holding his eyes shut tight.

Tanith backed off. "Did you actually kill Phoenix Lands?"

Scapegrace shook his head. "No. No. I- I'm a disgrace to the title killer!" he wailed.

"You got that right," Valkyrie snorted.

"Who did?" Tanith asked.

"No idea."

Rolling her eyes, she leaned in towards his ear.

"IT WAS AN ELEMENTAL!" he screeched, rocking his chair away from her, which only ended up in him landing on the floor.

"How do you know?" Valkyrie asked.

"She hit the knife away and he called it back with that air stuff," Scapegrace whimpered from the floor.

Tanith reached down and hauled his chair upright. "What were you even doing at the Tower at that time of night?" she asked, frowning at him.

Scapegrace opened his mouth, then closed it, and opened it again.

"We're wai-aiting," Valkyrie sang.

Scapegrace looked very scared indeed when he admitted, "I don't know."


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again! I know this is short, but things will definitely start to heat up after this. Let me know if you have any ideas/ if there are any problems with it so far! **

**-Sonya**

Chapter 4

"You don't _know_?" Valkyrie demanded, pushing herself upright from the wall she was leaning on.

Scapegrace hunkered down in his chair, making a pathetic keening sound.

"Oh my gosh, why do we bother with him?" Tanith muttered to Valkyrie.

"No clue."

"We still haven't figured out what one of those looks like, have we?"

They exchanged a glance, a bust up laughing, remembering the time early on in their friendship when Skulduggery had them helping him. Needless to say, it hadn't gone any better than Scapegrace's interrogation.

Ignoring their prisoner's continued panic and puppy-sound-making, they left the room to converse in the hall.

"So what do we do?" Valkyrie said. "Arrest him for a murder he may or may not have committed, or let him loose and run the risk that he'll kill again."

Tanith frowned. "I'd go with option three," she said.

Valkyrie matched her frown. "I only said two things."

"That's the problem."

Valkyrie laughed. "We could take him with us when we investigate the tower."

Tanith snapped her fingers. "That's the ticket!"

Valkyrie grinned, and her phone buzzed.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Where are you?" Skulduggery demanded.

"Umm… London?"

"Well so am I! And Ghastly and I are waiting for you and Tanith to come pick us up."

"Oh. That was fast," Valkyrie commented. "But you might want to rent a car. Tanith's driving isn't exactly… stellar."

Tanith took the opportunity to stick out her tongue.

Skulduggery made an annoyed sound. "Fine. But I'll have you know, spending two and a half hours on a Euro-star train isn't my favorite thing. You should've just come here. And Ghastly wants me to remind you that that would be technically impossible."

Valkyrie snorted. "I'll see you soon, Skulduggery. Say hi to Ghastly for me."

"Will do. See you soon."

Valkyrie hung up and turned to Tanith. "They're on their way. Skulduggery is… oh no."

The truth of what she had told Skulduggery to do hit her as she saw Tanith nearly collapsing in laughter against the wall.

"You- you- toldhimtorentacar!" she blubbered.

Valkyrie didn't find it funny.

"It'll probably be another yellow thing," she complained.

Tanith nodded, wiping tears from her eyes.

"All I can say is I'm riding with you," Valkyrie told her. "Every damn time."


	5. Chapter 5

** I just can't stop updating, I've got a lot of ideas right now! Anyway, drop me a line with suggestions or feedback! If you want to see a specific character cameo, I will try to work it in, or if you just want to see them do something crazy! Reviews are GREATLY appreciated!**

**-Sonya**

Chapter 5

"So how long until they get here?" Tanith asked Valkyrie as they led Scapegrace to a temporary holding cell.

"About two hours, I think. They're taking the Euro-Star."

Tanith shuddered. "Those awful things. I can't stand them."

Valkyrie grinned. "Only because there's not enough room for an epic battle in the aisles."

"Exactly! What if"-

"All the passengers were Hollow Men, and then there were bubbles all over the place!" Valkyrie joked.

Realizing that she sounded paranoid, Tanith decided to join in. "And then the ceiling was suddenly made of cheese!"

They exchanged a glance and cracked up.

"You'd be in trouble if I were on the train too!" Scapegrace felt the urge to declare.

"Is that so?" Tanith asked him sarcastically.

"Yes it is!" he insisted. "I'd use the bubbles as a distraction, and then I'd melt the cheese and you'd"-

He cut off as Valkyrie waved a roll of pink duck tape in his face threateningly.

"And then I would be quiet because I don't want that on my face," he finished lamely.

"Damn straight," Tanith chuckled. "Valkyrie, where on earth did you find something like that?"

Her friend shrugged. "Around. You never know when it will come in handy."

"I repeat, damn straight."

They dumped Scapegrace off in his new cell, and Tanith's phone buzzed.

"Ghastly says their right outside," she read, and they headed for the exit.

"Skulduggery Pleasant, you're a dead man! Err… _again_!" Valkyrie yelled, storming out of the British Sanctuary.

She stopped dead in her tracks and her jaw dropped.

"Orange," Tanith commented, nodding her head, drawing up next to Valkyrie. "Very original."

"At least someone appreciates my creativity," Skulduggery said, slamming the driver's side door.

All Valkyrie could do was whisper, "_Orange_."

Skulduggery analyzed her. "Are you going to try to hurt me?" he asked mildly.

"OH yes. OOOOOHH yes," Valkyrie growled.

Ghastly laughed, walking around the car to the trunk. "I told you to be more discrete, Skul."

He popped the trunk, and seconds later, jumped back with a yell.

Tanith whipped out her sword, and Skulduggery his revolver.

"What? What is it?" Tanith demanded.

Instead of answering, Ghastly just rolled his eyes and hauled someone out of the trunk by his collar.

"You didn't _really_ expect me to stay behind, did you?" Fletcher Renn asked incredulously.


	6. Chapter 6

**Here we go again… I'm begging you to review!**

**-Sonya**

Chapter 6

"Oh you've got to be kidding me," Tanith sighed, stopping next to Ghastly, Valkyrie, Skulduggery and Fletcher outside the entrance to the Tower of London.

"Local Leos," Skulduggery observed.

"It's the Po Po," Fletcher agreed.

"More people to fight," Tanith sighed.

Ghastly and Valkyrie exchanged a look.

"Whoa, guys. No fighting, no killing people. Phoenix Lands was involved in mortal society. It only makes sense that they would be investigating her murder too," Valkyrie said quickly.

Skulduggery let his hand drop from his revolver, Tanith pulled her coat back over her sword and Fletcher's hair seemed to flatten out just the tiniest bit.

"We need a distraction," Ghastly declared. He looked to Tanith.

"What do you want _me_ to do?" she demanded, tossing her hair out of her face.

He grinned. "Exactly that."

Tanith frowned. "Huh?" she asked unintelligently.

Skulduggery caught on. "Go charm them. Or better yet"-

Fletcher caught on as Valkyrie and Tanith gaped.

"Go up to some random dude and pretend that he's like, trying to molest you!" he interrupted.

Tanith glowered at all of them. "Make Valkyrie do it."

Valkyrie made an incredulous sound. "Don't make _me_ do it! Just _think _of what my parents would do to you if they caught me doing that. Probably would be worse than Serpine, Vengeous and Sanguine combined."

"That's why Tanith is doing it," Skulduggery said.

"I am not!"

"Mmmm… yes you are." He gave her what was supposed to be an encouraging push.

Tanith dug in her heels. "Don't touch," she said dangerously.

Skulduggery held up his hands in a submissive gesture. "Just trying to get my job done," he defended himself.

Ghastly sighed and rolled his eyes as his four friends started arguing, or in Skulduggery and Tanith's case, continued, and walked across the square.

They didn't notice.

They did notice, however, when he yelled, "FIRE!" at the top of his lungs.

The police investigating the Tower looked up, and saw the strange man with the hat pulled over his face jumping around and yelling about a fire not all that convincingly.

They all raced out to see what the fuss was about.

Tanith glared at Skulduggery, and he would have returned it if he had eyes, and they raced into the tower, Ghastly on their heels.

Tanith slammed the door behind them and shoved her scabbard through the handles- effectively locking it.

Valkyrie had just finished checking the rest of the doors.

"All locked," she reported happily.

"You know this is illegal, right?" Skulduggery pointed out.

"Yep," everyone responded.

"You having issues with that?" Valkyrie teased.

"No, just making sure you knew."

"I see."

"We could get arrested."

"You won't let that happen though. You like me too much."

"I wouldn't let them take Ghastly, or Tanith. Not sure about you and Fletcher though."

"I hate you."

"I know."


	7. Chapter 7

**Well ya said y'all wanted some more… So come and have a go.**

**If you think you're hard enough.**

**-Sonya**

Chapter 7

"Great, now we're going to have to fight our way out of here," Fletcher complained, sitting down with a thump on the hard, stone floor of the Tower of London.

Tanith and Valkyrie grinned. "What's wrong with fighting?" they asked, whirling to stand back to back, Tanith with her sword drawn and Valkyrie with a flame flickering in her palm.

"If we don't have to fight, we won't," Ghastly informed them, batting Tanith's sword down and gathering a little cloud of moisture over Valkyrie's flame, making it fizzle out.

"Hey," she said dejectedly.

"We're here to investigate, not reveal our existence after years and years of keeping it hidden," Skulduggery backed his friend up.

Tanith grumbled something about "Damn buzz kills," but sheathed her sword all the same.

Scapegrace had made a decision.

He was getting out. And this time he wasn't going back in.

Nor did he intend to get his fingers broken after being jumped by a wild hoard of cleavers thanks to one Valkyrie Cain.

He was the killer supreme, and no bonds could hold such a masterpiece.

Of course, he had yet to create that masterpiece, but that wouldn't take long. He, of all people could do it.

First of all, he had gotten out of his god-forsaken-cell. It had taken some doing, but pretending to have e-bola and then threatening to breath it everywhere got you loose pretty quick.

Actually, it got him put in solitary confinement in the E.R. even quicker, but the catch with that was, thinking he had an illness of some sort, then only sent Weeper to accompany him. And even Scapegrace could get past Weeper.

And get past him he did. Actually, as soon as he saw him, he ran like hell, but it was the same thing.

He had escaped. Successfully.

And it wasn't because he had been forgotten at a gas station this time.

But his euphoria was short lived, for the London cleavers were on him the second he set the alarm off running out of the building, beaming in glee.

Needless to say, he wasn't beaming any more when they were done with him.

**Sorry I was so mean so Scapegrace, but I need him in jail, and y'all know he could never actually escape… I'll be updating again soon!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Here you go, and I promise to be nice to Scapegrace. He is fabulous. I CAN'T, just CANNOT FREAKING ABIDE by what they did to him in Dark days. It's not the best book in the series… so in his honor, this is taking place when every one is together and normal, and Tanith can kick major Sanguine Ass **

**-Sonya**

Chapter 8

"You know, Skulduggery," said Tanith as she paced across the hard stone floor of the tower, "you never did get around to telling me what a clue looks like."

"Tanith…" Skulduggery said testily.

She shrugged. "Just saying."

A few moments passed, and Tanith sidled up to Ghastly.

"_What's one look like_?" she stage whispered, a burst into giggles as Valkyrie and Fletcher snorted, while Ghastly bit his lip to keep from smiling.

"Bloody hell Tanith, are you ninety, or are you"-

Skulduggery never got to finish what he was saying, for a girl stepped out of the shadows and said, "_I'm _what you call a clue."

Everyone jerked around to face her. She was maybe fifteen, average height, with average length hair, and an average looking face.

The two very _un_ average things about her were the fact that she was floating over their heads, and looked like she was entirely made of stone.

"What the bloody hell is that all about now?" Fletcher demanded, breaking the silence.

The girl looked offended. "I'm not _surprised_ that you wouldn't care to know…" she sighed.

"No, really," Ghastly cut in, before Fletcher could do any more damage. "What's you're name?"

The girl looked over her shoulder, for she had been drifting off again.

"My name?" she asked, sounding surprised.

"We want to help you," Ghastly pressed.

The girl raised her chin. "I'm Phoenix Lands."

Tanith frowned. "You're supposed to be dead," she said bluntly.

The girl- Phoenix let out a sob and started to streak away.

Ghastly shot Tanith a dirty look and called after her.

She halted, sitting down in mid air. "What do you want from me?" she asked, wearily now.

"First of all, I should like to know how you got this way," Skulduggery said, stepping forward.

Tanith elbowed him in the ribs and stepped in front of him. "And how are you still here?"

Skulduggery stood in front of Tanith again. "Did you use you're earth power at the last minute?"

Tanith gave Skulduggery an almighty glare, and stomped on his foot.

Phoenix looked down at Valkyrie. "Which one do I listen to?" she asked her.

Valkyrie shrugged. "Probably neither would be the safest option."

They both turned their attention back to Tanith and Skulduggery.

"And that's the way it's going to be," the Skeleton and the fighter both declared into each other's faces. Then they turned back to Phoenix.

There was a lull in any conversation.

"Ok, go ahead Tanith, I don't know what to ask," Skulduggery finally said.

Tanith grinned.


	9. Chapter 9

**I know this is going slow… but things are going to start speeding up. I've also got a lot of schoolwork right now, so forgive me if I'm not speedy Gonzales with the updates right now. But hang in there, and drop a review!**

**-Sonya**

Chapter 9

"Who did this to you, Phoenix?" Tanith asked, walking calmly up the wall and then sitting on the ceiling so she was face to face with the spirit- girl.

Phoenix sniffed, and turned her head away. "I don't know," she snapped. "That's what you people are here to find out, aren't you?"

"It does seem so, doesn't it? Has any one seen my hat?" Skulduggery interrupted.

"Yes, I have. I'm sitting on it," Tanith replied, and laughed as her friend's shoulders sagged.

"Kidding, Skulduggery. Valkyrie's sitting on it."

Valkyrie jumped up off the hat and threw it to Fletcher, who instantly teleported, and was back in a second.

Phoenix was watching their antics, perplexed, but a small smile was creeping to her lips.

Skulduggery planted his hands on his hips. "Where'd you put it, Fletcher?" he demanded.

"Pumpkin mobile," Fletcher said offhandedly, and Tanith and Valkyrie exploded into extremely loud laughter.

Maybe the tears forming in the corner of her eyes and the way she was doubled over with her hair in her face was the reason Tanith didn't notice the ceiling crumbling next to her.

Even if it wasn't, she didn't notice. But Ghastly did.

"Tanith!" he yelled as a pair of hands wrapped them around Tanith's leather-clad torso.

She only had time to scream before they hauled her back into the ceiling after them.

Valkyrie turned to Skulduggery, but he was still focused on Phoenix.

"Who was that?" he asked her.

She shrugged her ghostly shoulders. "No clue. But also not my problem."

Ghastly frowned. "We're here to help you, you might as well cooperate," he pointed out.

Phoenix swooped down through the air to face him, standing several inches off the ground so she was eye level.

"I'll make you a deal," he added as she continued to stare. She cocked an eyebrow.

"You'll what?" Skulduggery demanded?

"You help us find our friend, and we find out who killed you," Ghastly proposed.

Skulduggery sighed. "Why does this always happen?"

Phoenix analyzed Ghastly. "You're going to be asking questions about how I got this way," she said.

He nodded. "Probably."

She turned away, walked for the wall. "Bring me the man that killed me, and you've got yourself a deal." She walked through the wall and was gone.

"What about Tanith?" Valkyrie instantly demanded. "She could be hurt."

Ghastly smirked. "If she's hurt, I don't even want to imagine being the other guy."


	10. Chapter 10

**I know this is going slow… but things are going to start speeding up. I've also got a lot of schoolwork right now, so forgive me if I'm not speedy Gonzales with the updates right now. But hang in there, and drop a review!**

**-Sonya**

Chapter 10

The second her elbows cleared the ceiling, Tanith thrust them back into the chest of her attacker.

They stumbled back the last few steps, succeeding in pulling her through, but she was on her feet, punches and kicks flying before they could even explain.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Tanith demanded, slamming a boot into the man's side.

He went down, shoving his sunglasses back up his nose, panting.

"Aw look, lil lady, you made me bleed," Billy-Ray Sanguine complained, dabbing at his split lip.

"Serves you right," Tanith spat, backing away towards the door. Though she would never admit it, her knee was rather sore where Sanguine had kicked her.

"Now, now," Sanguine drawled, getting to his feet. "I've got a reason for bein' here, believe it or not."

Tanith planted her hands on her hips, sneering at him. "My boot wants to get to know your face," she said by way of reply. "Talk fast and maybe you can convince it to wait for some other time."

Sanguine chuckled. "Feisty. Always liked that in a woman. An hey, you get that top in a smaller size since the last time we ran into each other?"

Tanith snarled, and lunged at him, ignoring the sword at her side. She wouldn't go to that until Sanguine's strait razor made it's debut.

Tanith threw a punch for the side of his face, but it was easily caught, and then man twisted her wrist painfully.

She hissed in pain, and dropped to the ground, letting Sanguine think he got her, but it was a feint, and she swung her legs around and knocked him off his feet.

They continued to fight on the stone floor, Tanith struggling to get her hands around the American's throat, and said American just continuing to annoy the attacking Englishwoman.

The door to the room flew open, and Skulduggery, Valkyrie, Ghastly, and Fletcher stared down at the two wrestling on the floor, kicking and punching and yelling some quite colorful things.

"Are we interrupting something?" Skulduggery cut in, and Tanith and Sanguine looked up, both with hands around the others throat.

"No," Tanith said icily, scrambling off Sanguine.

Fletcher snickered, and Tanith turned her glare to him.

"I'm in a _bad_ mood, spike," she growled.

No one had ever seen Fletcher shut up faster.

"Did he hurt you?" Ghastly asked as Tanith came to stand by his side, leaving Sanguine lying before them.

"Ha! Not a chance," she replied, tousling her hair into a more acceptable mess.

Before any other questions could be asked, Sanguine sat up, shaking his head.

"Damn," he said, "that is one sexy bouncer you got there."

Tanith growled and lunged for him again, but Ghastly caught her arms and held her back as she snarled and struggled to get at the hired assassin.

"Jus' sayin, lady. Jus sayin."


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry for the wait guys, but I've been really busy with school and… (continues on with a load of other half-assed excuses) But here's chapter eleven! Enjoy… y'all.**

**-Sonya**

Chapter 11

"What are you doing here, Sanguine?" Valkyrie demanded, as Sanguine continued to smirk, and Tanith continued to snarl and try to escape Ghastly's grasp.

"Just one good smack, and I swear that'll be it," she pleaded, wriggling in his grip.

"You know that's not true," Ghastly sighed.

Tanith glared, craning her neck around to try and make eye contact. "Since when are you two buddies? Why does it matter if I turn him into a mushy pulp?"

"He hasn't attacked us, so we give him a chance," Ghastly reasoned.

Tanith gaped at him incredulously as best she could. "He attacked _me_!"

"So you're hurt?"

"No, of course not."

"So then we hear him out."

"But you're fine."

"Of course I'm not fine, I was attacked by a psychopath!"

Ghastly and Skulduggery both sighed.

"Women," they agreed.

Meanwhile, Valkyrie planted her hands on her hips. "What do you want with us, Sanguine?" she demanded, glaring at the Texan.

"Well, I myself got some business with Miss Lands, so if y'all will s'cuse me…" he tried to push past Fletcher and Valkyrie to the door.

"Don't even think about it," Fletcher glared.

"What do you want here?" Skulduggery demanded, stepping up behind the two teenagers, and resting a hand on each of their shoulders.

Sanguine gulped. "Well, y'all know… jus' a job…"

"You killed Phoenix Lands, am I right, or am I right?" Fletcher snapped.

"Scapegrace said it was an elemental," Valkyrie informed him.

"Oh…"

Ghastly released Tanith, and crossed his arms. "Tell us, or we'll have to use alternate… methods," he said, and Tanith twitched her eyebrows threateningly.

"S'not all that complicated really, none of your business, matter of fact," Sanguine continued to prattle.

The five comrades glared at him.

"So do we throw him to Tanith, or save him for China?" Valkyrie asked, turning to Skulduggery.

"A very good question, Valkyrie, I say"-

"All righ', all righ', calm down, I'll tell ya," Sanguine drawled, holding up a hand.

He looked up, grinning, and slid his sunglasses down a few inches on his nose.

"What's so funny?" Tanith demanded.

Sanguine smirked. "I'll tell y'all on the grounds that Blondie there gives yours truly a great, big _kiss_."


	12. Chapter 12

**Just to make it clear, there aren't going to be any particular pairings in this story, I just wanted to throw that twist out there because it seems like something Sanguine would do. And as for this chapter, have a little Fletcher/Tanith tussle. Please review!**

**-Sonya**

Chapter 12

Tanith's jaw dropped. "You've… _got _to be _bloody_ damn _kidding me!_" she yelled as Sanguine grinned, pleased with himself, and Fletcher snorted despite the ramification of Valkyrie's elbow slamming into his ribs.

Phoenix drifted lazily through the wall.

"He is rather strange, don't you think?" she mused, sliding through the air past Sanguine to stand in the dead space between him and the others.

Skulduggery turned to Tanith. "Well?" he said.

"Well what?" she snapped back, hands on hips.

"What are you waiting for?"

"What am I…? VALKYRIE, GET HIM FOR THE ORANGE CAR!"

Valkyrie shrugged. "We need to know, Tanith," she said.

Fletcher was full out laughing now, cackling his head off, and pulling out his phone to get the episode on tape.

"Ghastly?" Tanith asked as a last resort.

"Desperate times…" he said.

Tanith's shoulders slumped. "Why me?" she demanded. Then she glared at Sanguine as he opened his mouth. "Don't answer that."

"So," Skulduggery said, "Tanith kisses you, and you agree to answer any of our questions."

"Any of your questions pertainin' to the current situation, that is," Sanguine corrected.

Skulduggery nodded. "Tanith, kiss him."

Tanith stomped forward. "You can just run around ordering me to kiss people, you know," she grumbled.

"Sure looks like I can," he answered.

Tanith glared at him over her shoulder, and stopped him front of Sanguine.

"Do not, for one moment, think that I mean this," she snarled, and grabbed his tie and catching him by surprise so that his mouth was on hers.

"There, happy?" Tanith demanded a short while later, tossing Billy-Ray's tie back into his chest. He stumbled back, now that she wasn't pulling him forward.

"Got it!" Fletcher said happily, clicking a button on his phone.

Tanith's eyes bugged out. "Fletcher! No!" she yelled, lunging for the phone.

He laughed, jumping back and holding the phone over his head as she raced after him.

"I swear, Fletcher Renn, if you put that online or show it to _anyone_, I will disembowel you in the night and then put _that_ online!" she yelled, lunging for him again, but he, of course, Teleported.

"Damn," she muttered.

Seconds later, her phone buzzed. She flipped it open, and there was a picture from Fletcher of her kissing Sanguine.

"I'm gonna kill that kid."


	13. Chapter 13

**-Sonya**

Chapter 13

"So, Phoenix. Before I was so rudely interrupted," Tanith turned to glare viciously at Sanguine, "I was going to ask how you got this way."

Phoenix pouted for a second, and then explained. "I am… was… and elemental, and as my psyche drifted away… I used my earth power. I was solid, at first. I couldn't move, but every day it gets weaker, and I'm here… less and less…" a small stone tear dripped out of her eye.

"That's… horrible," Fletcher commented.

Phoenix rounded on him. "No kidding. I wonder, can I still pick things up? Because I would stab you," she snarled.

"Hehe, truce?" Fletcher offered, but Phoenix was already skiing away through the air.

"Bring me the man who claims to have seen my murder," she demanded. "Or no more answers." And she disappeared.

"For someone who wants the same thing we do, she's awfully unhelpful," Skulduggery commented.

"No kidding," Valkyrie agreed.

"Yeah," Sanguine put in.

There was instantly a lull in any conversation.

"What?" he asked. "We're gonna be working this one together, thought I might as well break some of that ice."

"You're working with us?" Valkyrie asked skeptically as Tanith pretended to throw up behind her.

"Miss Lands and I had a little… arrangement before she died. A bond, should I say?"

"Spit it out, you bloody idiot," Tanith snapped, crossing her arms over her chest, as she suspected that's where Sanguine's non-gaze was wandering.

Sure enough, his head snapped back up as soon as she did. "Lil' Lands there was my cousin. And I'm not lettin' that mystery goin' unsolved. Might even get to kill some people…"

Tanith rolled her eyes and stepped forward to kick him where it counts, but Ghastly caught her arm again, and shook his head.

"Kick his ass later. Right now, we have a murder to solve, and a criminal to break out of the Sanctuary."

Tanith frowned, but nodded. "You can count on that, Sanguine," she promised.

Valkyrie grinned. "So what are we waiting for? We've got crimes to commit."


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey guys! No Scapegrace in this one, but he makes his grand return for the rest of the story next chapter! Hang with me! Is anybody still out there? I'm begging you to review, here, peeps!**

**-Sonya**

Chapter 14

"So we 'gon break into you're little sanctuary, huh?" Sanguine chuckled, leaning against the stone wall of the Tower as Skulduggery peered out the window.

"Police are coming back in. Tanith, you better grab your scabbard unless you're prepared to lose it."

Tanith nodded, and spun to leave, but Fletcher held up a hand. "Allow me. Compensation for what I just did."

Tanith's eyes grew wide. "_What_ did you do with that picture Fletcher Renn?" she shrieked, but he was already gone.

"Wow," Valkyrie commented to Ghastly, "he's good."

Fletcher reappeared in seconds and held Tanith's scabbard out to her, kneeling theatrically. "You're loveliness," he said.

Tanith glowered and snatched the scabbard, sliding her sword into it.

"So what are we waiting for?" Skulduggery asked, sauntering up to the main group.

"Fletcher to get his head back on right and Sanguine to get the hell out of here," Tanith grumbled.

Sanguine cupped a hand behind his ear like he hadn't heard her. "I'm sorry, whad' ya say, honey bunny?"

Tanith lunged forward to punch the lights out of him, but Ghastly grabbed the tails of her waistcoat with one hand, snatched Fletcher's elbow with the other, and they all teleported, Tanith unintentionally dragging Sanguine along with the fistful of shirt she'd managed to get her hands on.

They landed in a heap in on the curb next to Skulduggery's pumpkin mobile.

"Oops," Fletcher said as Valkyrie tried to shove Skulduggery off her, Ghastly tried to disentangle his feet from Fletcher himself in time to grab Tanith, who was getting up the quickest, still going after Sanguine, and Sanguine, who was finally just trying to get the heck away from the sword lady. He was seriously starting to regret his deal. One kiss wasn't worth being stabbed.

"Ha! Not so pleased now, are you?" Tanith declared triumphantly jumping to her feet, but Skulduggery grabbed her ankle and she was down again, falling into the squabbling heap.

"Wait just a second," Ghastly said, shoving Sanguine away and standing up. He brushed some dirt off his shirt. "Don't we have a job to do? Why are we fighting ourselves?"

Everyone stopped and looked up.

"Excess adrenaline," Tanith said.

"Skulduggery," Valkyrie supplied.

"Valkyrie," Fletcher and Skulduggery both said.

"Nobody cares what I say, anyway so I don' even care," Sanguine drawled, leaning back against the car, finally off the ground.

"Ok," Skulduggery said, straightening his fedora. "I say that Fletcher and I go in and get Scapegrace."

Tanith raised an eyebrow. "And that's going to work because Fletcher has been to Scapegrace's cell before."

Skulduggery paused, and then his shoulders slumped. "Then we default to plan B."

"Which would be?"

"You and Sanguine."

"WHAT?"

Skulduggery sighed, somehow. "Tanith, you have a reason to be there and the authority to see a prisoner in case you're caught, and Sanguine can get you in."

"Send Valkyrie," Tanith demanded.

Valkyrie wrinkled her nose. "Ew, no," she protested.

"Hey," Sanguine protested.

Ghastly rolled his eyes at all the continued antics. "Can we just get on with it already?" he sighed.

Tanith met Sanguine's eyes. "Not one pass. The second you flirt, I kill you, got it, Tex?"

"Wouldn't dream of it, Honey Bunny."


	15. Chapter 15

**Scapegrace at last! Please let me know what you think, and suggestions are definitely appreciated! Sorry it's taken a while; I've been really busy! Don't read and run… Review! **

**-Sonya**

Chapter 15

"I hate dirt," Tanith grumbled as Sanguine tunneled under the British Sanctuary. He was holding her bridal style, despite her vicious threats, but in truth she would rather have that than being dragged after him by an arm or a foot.

"Now, what's so wrong with it? Comes right off. Could help ya with that," he drawled, grinning at her.

She gave him her best death glare, and if looks could kill, he would have been dead ten times over. "I swear, as soon as this is over, I'm going to go all Scapegrace and make you into a Picasso. Completely unrecognizable."

"Delightful imagery, darlin'."

Tanith was silent, doing her best to re-cross her arms as the ground rushed by. Had the situation been under normal circumstances, she would have had a go at him. Or at least slapped him upside the head.

Hey, she could still do that…

"OW!" Sanguine exclaimed as Tanith smacked him. "Whad' I do?"

Tanith smirked. "Nothing. You were just yourself. That just gives you an idea of what happens if you _do_ try something."

Sanguine's eyebrows twitched, giving the impression that he was rolling his non-eyes. "Sweetheart, you ain't gotta worry bout me on this one. I wanna catch that jerk just as much as you do."

"Difference is, I don't want to kill him."

"There is that."

There was silence, apart from the ground rushing by. Finally Tanith sucked up her pride and demanded:

"Well? Are we there yet?"

Sanguine smirked. "Matter of fact, yeah."

Tanith gave a sigh of relief, and then started hacking and coughing as she inhaled dirt.

"Careful," Sanguine said, and their head's broke the surface.

They stood in the corridor before the low-level prison cells. And no alarms were blaring.

"You can put me down now," Tanith pointed out.

Sanguine grinned. "Y'all sure you want me to, honey- yow!"

Sanguine dropped Tanith as she elbowed him in the stomach. Much to his chagrin, she landed in a crouch and instantly sprang up, grinning at him.

"C'mon, slowpoke," she called back to him as she put her hand to the lock of the door and it sprang open.

Sanguine grumbled something about ungrateful women, and followed after her.

"I know I left him here somewhere…" Tanith muttered, strolling along the rows of cells.

"Lost you're prisoner? Uh-oh," Sanguine yapped.

"Here he is. And you- shut the hell up."

Tanith put her hand to the lock on Scapegrace's cell and opened the door.

Problem was- it was empty.

"Vaurien?" Tanith asked, carefully stepping into the cell. "Vauri- AGH!"

Sanguine looked up from analyzing his fingernails as he saw Tanith jumping back, and seconds later, and squealing man being thrown over her shoulder.

"Everything alright in there?" he called.

"Yeah! Feel free to go away!"

He shrugged, and turned back to analyzing his hands.

Meanwhile, Tanith glared down at Scapegrace.

"Honestly, Vaurien. A plastic spoon? That's what you were going to fight me with?" she said, stifling a laugh, hand on hip as Scapegrace stared up at her, looking rather cross eyed after his trip over her shoulder.

"Hey, don't judge me," he said, sitting up and shaking his head. "It was the only thing that came with the lunch tray."

Tanith shook her head. "I can't believe I'm doing this," she sighed, and turned her back on him, walking out of the cell.

"Wait for me!" Scapegrace yowled, scrambling to his feet and darting out of the cell after her, fearing she would close the door.

Tanith ignored him.

"You're never supposed to turn your back on your enemies," Scapegrace reminded her.

"Don't worry. I know," Tanith retorted.

Scapegrace sighed and his shoulders slumped. Maybe he would try normal art.


	16. Chapter 16

**Sorry it's been a while- I've been scarily busy! But here's another Chapter for y'all. PLEASE review And juuuust to put this out there, when I wrap this fic up, I'm going to do one starring… SCAPEGRACE! So if you guys want more of him… well, it's coming :P**

**-Sonya**

Chapter 16

"So you guys are breaking me out?" Scapegrace prattled, trotting after Tanith, Sanguine dragging his feet behind them.

"No, you'll be back. But we need to borrow you," Tanith replied tiredly. Scapegrace was so excited, and an excited Scapegrace was no pretty thing.

"Hurry it up, Sanguine," Tanith called back to him, picking up the pace. "We don't want to get caught."

Getting no response, and not really caring, Tanith lay her hand to the last lock on the back door…

And every alarm in the building started wailing.

"Dammit!" Tanith whirled, watching as cleavers flooded the halls.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Scapegrace wailed, and attached himself to Tanith's arm.

"Agh, get _off_ me, Vaurien!" she snapped, trying to disengage his death clamp on her.

Sanguine stepped forward and pulled Scapegrace back. "C'mon, Hun, let's blow this joint," he said.

Tanith shook her head. "Get Scapegrace out of here, I'll hold them off. Worry about me later."

Sanguine hesitated, but tunneled away at top speed as Tanith aimed a kick his way.

She braced herself for the onslaught. Not to mention she was going to have to come up with a cover story bloody quick.

Sanguine was really wishing that he had earplugs right now. Vaurien Scapegrace, who was screaming like a little girl at the fact he was being dragged around _under ground_ and then coughing because he got dirt in his mouth.

"Would y'all care to put a sock in it, or ya need some help with that?" Sanguine grumbled, grinding to a stop.

"What the hell is going on?" Scapegrace demanded, trying to plant his hands on his hips, but finding that he didn't have enough room to do so. He resorted to crossing them.

"I _told_ ya. We're-well, now _I- _am breaking y'all out and taking ya to the Tower of London. Lil' lady there wants ta meet ya."

"Really?" Scapegrace demanded his face lighting up. "Is she pretty? Where's she from?"

Sanguine's eyebrows went up then down, giving the impression that he was rolling his eyes.

"Relax, Mr. _Scapegrace_. Jus' lil' Phoenix Lands."

Scapegrace stopped his prattling. "Oh," he said dejectedly.

"But if y'all want some advice on getting a chick," Sanguine said, tunneling again now, "I'm the man you wanna talk to."


	17. Chapter 17

**Ok, I know I haven't updated in forever, but here I am again! PLEASE review! Let me know that you're still out there! I beg of you! **

**-Sonya**

Chapter 17

"Where are we going?" Scapegrace demanded as Sanguine hauled him along for the near one-hundredth time.

"I _said_ you'd see when we _got_ there," Sanguine replied, growling through his teeth.

"When are we going to get there?"

"Faster if you shut up."

"Why?"

"Cause I gotta concentrate!"

"On what?"

"Stuff!"

"What stuff?"

Sanguine ground to a halt, and turned to face Scapegrace. He raised his eyebrows and slid his sunglasses down his nose to analyze the problem.

Scapegrace's own eyes bugged out. "Y-you… don't have any…" And then he passed out.

"Oh," Sanguine commented. "Well then." He snatched Scapegrace's arm again and continued on his way.

Sanguine was much more expeditious now that he didn't have to stop tunneling every few seconds or so to tell Scapegrace to shut the hell up and stop annoying him.

In that light, they very quickly arrived in front of Fletcher, Valkyrie, Skulduggery and Ghastly, waiting for them in an alley about a kilometer north of the British Sanctuary.

The first words out of anyone's mouth came from Ghastly, and they were:

"Where's Tanith?"

Sanguine pulled Scapegrace to his feet by the back of his jacket, and he stagger off, walking into a discarded packing crate.

"OW! OW! CURSE YOU, CRATE! I'LL KILL YOU! I SWEAR!"

He was ignored.

"So?" Valkyrie prompted Sanguine.

He polished his sunglasses absentmindedly and smirked. "Lil' blondie decided to stick around and cover our escape from the cleavers."

Instant chaos.

"SHE WHAT?" Ghastly yelled, grabbing Sanguine's cocky little cowboy tie.

"I knew this was a bad idea," Skulduggery mumbled, rubbing his skull as off fending off a headache.

"Sanguine…" snarled Valkyrie in warning.

"It's cool, I got it," Fletcher said, holding up a hand.

Valkyrie raised an eyebrow at him. "Fletch, no you don't. You've never been there," she reminded him.

Fletcher's hand and shoulders drooped. "Don't got it," he said dejectedly.

"So I take it now we have to break Tanith out of jail," Skulduggery grumbled, pacing. "Well that's just _lovely_, that is!"

"Don't get you're panties in a bunch," another voice cut them off.

All partied jumped and looked to the building on the right that Tanith Low was waltzing down, all hideous orange jumpsuit and blonde hair.

"Always like it when she does that," Sanguine chuckled, leaning against the side of the opposite building, allowing him to watch her.

"But anyhow, since I so kindly gave up my clean arrest record for the sake of this job, we might want to be, how do I put this? Beating a hasty retreat."

"Oh?" Valkyrie questioned.

"Yup," Tanith nodded. "I just turned us all into fugitives."

Skulduggery shook his head. "Lovely. Just lovely.


	18. Chapter 18

**So sorry it's been a long time- I've been cuh-raz-ay busy with school… but here we go! As a heads up, after this fic is done, which should still be a while, I'll be writing another Skulduggery fic… stay tuned!**

**-Sonya**

Chapter 18

Predictably, Sanguine was the first one to speak after Tanith's little announcement.

"Fugitive or not, y'all look hot in that prison suit."

Tanith turned slowly on her heal, fists clenched by her sides. "Shut. Up. You. Dumb. American."

"Jus' a soon as I get over how _smokin'_ y'all are loo"-

Valkyrie's mouth dropped open as Sanguine yowled and grabbed his nose.

Ghastly too, looked rather surprised what he had done. "He was wasting time," he defended himself. "We're not even going to be able to solve our _own _murders, much less Phoenix Lands' if those Cleavers catch up with us."

"Right. Of course," Valkyrie said, glancing from Ghastly, to Sanguine, to Tanith, who was doubled over in near hysterical laughter.

"Two year olds. We're about to be ripped to shreds, and I'm dealing with two year olds," Skulduggery grumbled.

"You get used to it," Ghastly said.

"Anyway, it's time to get out of here. Now," Fletcher said.

"We have a few minutes until they catch…" Sanguine said, but trailed off as a line of Cleavers raced down the alley towards them.

"Oh hell," he said instead.

Tanith grinned and hopped up the wall, grabbing Valkyrie's arm to help her as she manipulated the air under neither her. "Time to get this party started," she said, and reached for her sword.

But it wasn't there.

It was with her motorcycle leathers.

Which was back in the jail.

She exchanged a glance with Valkyrie. "Oh hell."


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: I know. I'm a terrible person. It's been too long. But here, have a little Ghanith as an apology. Enjoy, and drop a review!**

Chapter 19

Ghastly grabbed Tanith's arm as she stared at the herd of Cleavers charging at them.

"Run."

Tanith spun around and followed after Ghastly, legs pumping as hard as she could.

The walls of the alley blurred around her as she flew by, the only through in her mind not to let the Cleavers catch up to her.

She drew even with Ghastly as the tails of Valkyrie's coat disappeared around the corner, the Cleavers growing ever closer.

She looked over to Ghastly as they skidded around the corner. "Do you trust me?" she asked.

He frowned. "Yes… wh-"

Tanith didn't wait for him to finish. She jumped up the wall to her left and practically threw Ghastly up after her.

She scrambled up after him and lay flat on the rooftop as the Cleavers thundered by, waiting until she was positive they had moved on to let out the breath she had been holding.

And it was only then that she realized that she was still hanging on to Ghastly's hand.

"I… um," she said awkwardly pulling her hand free as she and Ghastly averted their eyes from each other.

There was a second of burningly awkward silence, and then Tanith rolled over onto her stomach and peered over the edge of the roof.

"Anything?" Ghastly asked, joining her.

She shook her head. "I think we're"-

The pair yanked their heads back over the ledge as a pair of Cleavers trotted by.

"So," Ghastly whispered. "You kissed Sanguine."

Tanith glared over at him. "You want to do this _now_?"

"Why not?"

"Because there are Cleavers down there! Hush up!"

"You didn't exactly argue."

"Ghastly…"

"It might have made some people feel a little dejected."

Tanith opened her mouth to snap back, but then realization dawned on her.

"Ghastly, do you"-

A scythe slammed into the roof next to Tanith's head.

"Time to go!" Ghastly yelled, and the pair took off once again.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Hello all! Have another chapter! I really appreciate all the positive feedback I've been getting lately. Drop a review **

**-Sonya**

Chapter 20

"What the hell took y'all so long?" Sanguine demanded as Tanith and Ghastly stumbled back up to the group, who had taken refuge in a storage yard filled with shipping containers.

"Had to… lose them…" Tanith panted, resting her hands on her knees.

"It took you that long to…" Valkyrie trailed off.

"You are all such _children_," Skulduggery complained as the rest of the group huddled in for some serious gossiping.

"Aw no… you two weren't…" Sanguine said, starting to look horrified.

"NO!" Tanith exclaimed. She caught a look at Ghastly's slightly hurt face. "I mean, uh, no."

Scapegrace chuckled. "Look who's uncomfortable now!"

Valkyrie elbowed him.

"Ow!"

"Oi!" Sanguine cut in, raising an eyebrow at Valkyrie. "behave!"

And then he and Scapegrace burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Tanith sighed, and leaned up against a storage container. "Oh yeah, laugh at me, the pair of you. Never mind the girl slowly fading away until death back in the Tower, just gossip all her time away…"

The laughter slowly petered out and the pair slowly began to look guilty.

"Ah guess you're right, honey bunny."

"And that too- cut it out."

"So you _do _fancy Ghastly!" Scapegrace exclaimed.

"Shut UP! What do you all not understand about saving this girl!?"

The entire group jumped at Tanith's outburst, and generally fell silent.

"Thank you. Now, if you would all get in that storage container, we can do some proper detective work, and figure out a way to save this girl."

The group silently turned and filed into the container. All except Sanguine.

"So," he drawled, swaggering up to Tanith. "Since you obviously ain't interested in nice'n'ugly, how's about you and I"-

"IN."


End file.
